Side of House

New Border for Next Year

Although I've been trying to keep the borders to a minimum, the area by the side of the house was really in need of a bit of TLC. I kept some crocosmia especially for this so that it would be low maintenance but also look good in the Summer. The hedge is looking a bit bare so I've planted a Forsythia and Butterfly Bush to fill the gaps and make a nice show. There is a Rose Bush and Lilac there already but the Lilac hasn't flowered. Planning to remove the 2 hedge plants when the new bushes fill out so there will only be pruning to do and the bushes can grow back fuller. It doesn't look great at the moment but hopefully next year it will start to fill out. There's some Ivy at the back so I'm going to try and tease it round the front so that the frogs and newts in this border will be happy.

Finishing the Leftover Turf

Lee used up the rest of the turf by laying this on the very worn out pathway by the Beech Hedge. It was also on a slope so we've tried to level it out a bit. The area wasn't prepared as much as the Vegetable patch but fingers crossed, breaking and raking the soil a bit will be enough to get it going. The slabs have been lifted from the main lawn area and placed here where the soil gets a bit compacted in the Winter.

What a difference, so glad we started to take photos of our progress.

Before (Springtime)

After (Summertime)

Caravan Garden

We had some turf left over from the new lawn area, so decided to put a patch by the caravan. Added some pea shingle for the path. Looks like a nice little garden now. There's still a bit to do in this area as we are building a raised flower bed too.

Before

Path to Railway

After

New Lawn

At last the old Vegetable Patch has been lawned. No more weeding. Lee spent most of the day laying down the turf. Most people would fill it with borders but I love the open space we have created.

The Old Vegetable Patch "Before"

The Vegetable Patch "After"

Mum pulling the weeds that shot up 

Lee Starting to Lay the Turf

Luna too tired to help

Lee is the new Water Feature

Garden Pond Makeover

Bucket full of pond muck

We've had a really productive week in the garden and I am getting better at dry stone walls! The little pond was looking a bit shabby and needed a bit of a makeover. Using the bricks from the old chimney we had removed I've used some to extend the border. I think it looks better even though I'm not a great fan of dry stone walls.

Really difficult decision regarding cleaning out the pond. So much wildlife in there that I really didn't want to empty it out so I'm doing partial clean outs in stages and saving all the critters: frogs; toad; newts, water beetles, water flea (have only seen one) and leeches!

Eddy the Gargoyle was hidden under the Crocosmia, he's now got a new home overlooking the pond and watching the wildlife.

Before Photo

New Stone Border around the Pond

Whole Border

Border by the Pond

Although most of the major borders in the garden have been cleaned and re-stocked, the crocosmia still keeps coming back. So we had to tackle the border by the pond again by digging out the existing clumps that were thinned out before. Great excuse to go to the garden centre and buy a few more plants for the bees and butterflies.

This walkway not quite finished yet

This border cleared for the second time!

The Little Pond that is my next Project!

The Last Border !!!

Another Border full of Crocosmia and Geraniums. I really like Crocosmia but not everywhere. I have saved some for planting at the Side of the house at the front and the rest has gone to good homes.

So this is what the border looked like before I dug it out. As always mum has been helping and kept me going :)

More Crocosmia and Geraniums

Very Full and Messy and Plants Overcrowded

Border extended round to path

and more Geraniums to the Back

Garden Clearing Continues

The patch by the Caravan is another project that we are doing and another very messy corner that needs sorting out.

Lee has been busy tidying and burning the rotten wood and we are trying to save everything from the garden to make a new square border here. I have quite a few Climbing Roses saved from the Vegetable plot ready in pots so this new border should look really nice when it's ready for planting. You might have to use your imagination.

Loads of Wood under Tarpaulin

Greenhouse No.2, now gone

Wood Pile Cleared, new border will be here

Materials Salvaged

Lee and his Man Bonfire

Burning Rotten Wood

Messed Up on the Grass Order

So I ordered the grass for our vegetable patch. Thought we would be getting 16 square metres to cover the whole patch but we ended up with 16 metre rolls :) not quite what we were expecting so another order is in for next week.  On the plus side Lee has managed to fix all the awkward patches and I've been smashing slate tiles to go around the Rowan Trees.

Lee Watering the Patches in the Rain

Awkward Patching

Nice green corner

Two Rowan Trees with Wooden Edging

Painted Wooden Edging

Smashed Slate Tiles

As we have loads of old wood, these are being put to use to edge the borders, fix fences are other useful things.

Some Tractor Thingy Hit our Wall

8.50pm and we hear an enormous clatter at the front of our house. It wasn't even dark as you can see from the photos. When we went out the driver had gone and left us with this:

Only 1 Ball Remaining

Totally Cracked 

Damaged Wall

Luckily Lee is very good at DIY and managed to fix it back and re-paint everything.

Wall Repaired and Painted Up

Little Reflectors Added

The Vegetable Patch

We were putting this off as it is such a big job. The whole lot needs to be cleared as we are laying down grass for low maintenance ... but I need to save the plants first and dig out all those weeds.

One side of the Vegetable Patch 

Section of the Vegetable Patch 

The Beginning

Another Section Clear

And Another

Almost Done

Finished and Levelled

... and 2 Rowan Trees planted

Plants saved and most went to good homes including the local garden centre.